I just want to ask as to when the SMT Strange Journey's review will be put on this website , since it only took you two months to put Dragon Quest IX on your website and it has been three months since Strange Journey's initial release in Japan ?

Since MegaTen is a much more relevant and influential franchise than Dragon Quest and is beginning to take place in Westerners' hearts, it should get the better and/or same treatment as Dragon Quest or other RPG franchises. Their latest release Devil Survivor even won GamaSutra's handheld game of the year 2009 .

Yes, because our entire staff speaks Japanese and reviews import RPGs. And we're all paid the big bucks to do it too.

Your wish will be granted when you donate $500 to each of the writers on the site.

(we're perfectly aware that Strange Journey is a worthwhile title to check out. We at RPGFan show an inordinate amount of love to the SMT series, as evidenced by the editor's choice award going to nearly every SMT game that's come out in the last five years. We don't need you to convince us.)

As for SMT being more "influential" than DQ, it seems sales figures would still say otherwise.

There's plenty of MegaTen fans on the staff last I checked, so even if the Japanese release isn't reviewed the US release will be, especially since I can't imagine Atlus not sending a reviewable. Now calm the fuck down.

The important point is this: our staff does everything we can, but we're all volunteers, and our ability to cover games that have only been released in Japan is limited. If we don't cover something, it's not because we don't care or because we think it's less important than something else we have covered - it's because we don't have the bandwidth. If you are in Japan and can offer us some help in covering this kind of big-name stuff, drop us a line and a writing sample. We'd love to expand what we can do.

RPG-centric maybe no, but Edge and Eurogamer have reviewed Bayonetta , and reviewers on 1up/ex-Electronic Gaming Monthly (Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt) have played through most of Japanese releases (Devil Summoner 2 for example), so it's pretty presumptuous and delusional to claim this website as the only 'import games-reviewing' institution.

Those are also huge sites compared to us, and while I don't know salary details, I think it's safe to say that the people at 1UP get paid, as in, it's their job, not something they do for free in their spare time. That does make a huge difference.

so it's pretty presumptuous and delusional to claim this website as the only 'import games-reviewing' institution.

Yeah, that would be pretty presumptuous and delusional, wouldn't it? That's why NOBODY made that claim. Except the voices in your head, maybe.

Mike's words?

"of the other volunteer-driven RPG-centric websites out there that have a review up of the game"

You missed the parts where he said "volunteer-driven" and specified a review of Strange Journey. Bayonetta is a more-anticipated game than Strange Journey, I promise you this.

Scratching Butthole,Besides your irritating and offensive tone, your username is quite off-putting. If you don't want to be banned from our forums, I suggest you go *here* and also make some friends, post-haste.

Since MegaTen is a much more relevant and influential franchise than Dragon Quest and is beginning to take place in Westerners' hearts, it should get the better and/or same treatment as Dragon Quest or other RPG franchises. Their latest release Devil Survivor even won GamaSutra's handheld game of the year 2009 .

Hey internet this OTHER GAMING WEBSITE HAS OPINIONS! Opinions NOT––I REPEAT––NOT listed on this website. I am utterly fucking disgusted at this site's lazy staff. They should be neglecting their children just like every other WoW-worshiping parental figure out there, I mean, duh, they need to get with the times.

What happened when Digital Devil Saga came out? It met OKAY-to-sometimes-mediocre reviews, BUT! ... there were a few gem reviews that completely praised it, which we conveniently shoved in people's faces neglecting the irritating-as-fuck battle system. However, all of their fanboys are Working Designs-level mouth-breathing blobs of acne who will, without fail, construct impossible-to-break thesis on why they are always right.

What happened when Dragon Quest IX came out? Oh, some other businesses fucking closed down or something because every goddamn walking, living, breathing organism in Japan, including but not limited to cats; dogs; bees; pet beetles, etc––purchased Dragon Quest IX. Thereafter, instead of buying food or paying rent, they played their goddame online Dragon Quest game and fucked Japan up for like a week.

Yeah, I agree, Atlus has a MUCH stronger influence over demographics.

While we're talking about import games, by the way, I assume you have played Dragon Quest IX already to critique it as you have, and possibly rightly so. Though since you're advocating this game so vehemently, enough to show what other random internet-based websites' arbitrary numbers next to a name stand for, yada yada.

(Jeremy Parish, Ray Barnholt) have played through most of Japanese releases (Devil Summoner 2 for example), so it's pretty presumptuous and delusional to claim this website as the only 'import games-reviewing' institution.

See! Fucking RPGFan! Look at this guy murdering you. He's using well-known INTERNET CELBRITIES who are force-fed games to spew out some wry, colorful witty oft-metaphoric little spurs of games and accompany them with a picture. This ONE SINGLE method is the key to success and all other means (another paranthesis should go here i want to be cool like Tuxedo Mask here to lay down the justice on you FUCKHEADS) are not valid in this industry.

Quit trying to be a fan-driven site that collects unique individuals with talents capable of running a website full of information without asking for a dime. You bunch of pompous asses.

What bothers me is why you chose to review Dragon Quest IX in your 'spare time' rather than the-more-relevant-title Strange Journey or even Devil Survivor, games that push the genre forward and not sitting-ducks , unevolving , rigid title like DQ franchise.

What bothers me is why you chose to review Dragon Quest IX in your 'spare time'

What's bothering me right now is that in your spare time, you choose to be an irritating cock wart telling random people who you've never spoken to before, how to run their own website toward what I can only assume to be your personal definition of "success." I'd call this site beyond a success from how long it's lasted alone, especially considering the growth of similar sites.

Also, non-evolving series? I used to hate on Dragon Quest like no other, until Level-5 slightly unfucked it with DQ8, which bred the vision of the DS titles that followed years later. The DS titles are far more vibrant, animated, flashy, and infinitely more playable with faster menus and non-clunky-as-shit controls.

Following that we have DQ9, a huge variant thereof that has had even Dragon Quest fans themselves cursing the changes made. The fact you call it an unevolving series does nothing but show your lack of knowledge, and remotes you to nothing but a screaming pimp-riddled inebriate that always thinks he's right, because nobody wants to muster the time to tell you that you're a waste of time.

However, I have some of this glorious, infinitely powerful "spare time" we speak of, and I've chosen to do this.

What bothers me is why you chose to review Dragon Quest IX in your 'spare time' rather than the-more-relevant-title Strange Journey or even Devil Survivor, games that push the genre forward and not sitting-ducks , unevolving , rigid title like DQ franchise.

Because the individual reviewer, James Clark, felt like playing DQIX first. We don't give the dude his marching orders. Why don't/can't we do this to said individual?

BECAUSE WE AREN'T f***ing PAID.

I would think that this fact would help clear up any question for you about how we prioritize.

It's clear that you're not reading the responses of the myriad people who have come to explain why your attitude is inappropriate. It's fine to ask "hey, when will you have this review up because I'm excited about the game?" But to make judgment calls about who we are or what we do because YOU think we should just ignore DQIX and play all your favorite upcoming games instead, is beyond mildly inappropriate.

I look forward to your apology for refusing to digest the comments from so many others here.